Judge Elizabet Rodriguez

Education: Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Bakersfield; Juris Doctor (J.D., 2005) from Western State University College of Law (Fullerton).
Judicial Appointment: Appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom on July 9, 2021, to the Kern County Superior Court (seat vacated by retiring Judge John L. Fielder).
Prior Career: Over 15 years of legal practice – Deputy District Attorney in Riverside County (2006–2009); Associate attorney at Gonzalez Law Group, Los Angeles (2009–2013); Deputy Public Defender in Kern County (2013–2021, with a brief role as Senior Associate at Schools Legal Service in 2016).
Court Assignment: Serves in Department 14 (Metropolitan Courthouse, Bakersfield) handling pre-preliminary hearings in criminal cases (initial arraignments, bail and felony preliminaries).
Notable Ruling: In 2023, in a high-profile criminal case, she ordered The Bakersfield Californian newspaper to turn over a reporter’s unpublished interview notes, ruling that a defense attorney had shown they would materially assist the defendant’s case.
Reputation: Known as a hard-working, fair-minded jurist with a strong work ethic. She is one of the few Latina judges on the Kern bench (bilingual in Spanish) and was honored in 2025 as an alumna inductee into the CSUB Alumni Hall of Fame.

Education and Early Career

Elizabet Rodriguez grew up in Kern County and attended California State University, Bakersfield, where she earned her undergraduate degree. She went on to law school at Western State University College of Law (in Fullerton, California), graduating in 2005. She was admitted to the California bar in 2006.

After law school, Rodriguez began her career in public service. From 2006 to 2009 she served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. In 2009 she moved into private practice as an associate at the Gonzalez Law Group in Los Angeles, where she worked on civil matters until 2013.

Legal Career before the Bench

In 2013 Rodriguez returned to Kern County and joined the Kern County Public Defender’s Office. As a deputy public defender (2013–2016), she handled felony and misdemeanor criminal cases defending indigent clients. In 2016 she briefly took a senior associate position at the Schools Legal Service in Bakersfield, providing legal advice to local school districts. Later in 2016 she rejoined the Kern County Public Defender’s Office, continuing there as a deputy public defender through mid-2021.

Throughout her career as an attorney, Rodriguez gained experience on both sides of the criminal justice system – as a prosecutor early on and then as a defense attorney – which has informed her perspective on the bench.

Judicial Appointment

On July 9, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Elizabet Rodriguez to the Kern County Superior Court. She filled the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge John L. Fielder. Following standard procedure, her appointment was subject to confirmation, and she assumed office later in 2021. At the time of her appointment, she was 43 years old, making her one of the younger judges on the Kern bench. Her official title is “Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Kern.”

Courtroom Assignments and Duties

Judge Rodriguez is currently assigned to Department 14 at the Metropolitan Courthouse in downtown Bakersfield. In this role she presides over pre-preliminary criminal hearings – the initial court proceedings after charges are filed. These hearings typically include arraignments, bail determinations, and preliminary assessment of felony cases. Department 14’s calendar focuses on the early stages of criminal cases before they proceed to trial.

In practice, this means Judge Rodriguez regularly handles issues like setting bail, hearing motions in limine at the outset of felony cases, and ensuring defendants’ rights are protected in the early phases of prosecution. Given her background as both a prosecutor and defender, she manages a heavy criminal docket and is known for working long hours to move cases through the system. (Earlier in her tenure she sat in Department 11 overseeing criminal motions and calendars before rotating into her current assignment.)

Notable Cases and Rulings

As a trial court judge, Rodriguez’s decisions are not published as formal opinions, but she has presided over a number of high-profile criminal cases in Kern County. One notable ruling came in 2023 during pretrial proceedings in a murder case. A defendant’s attorney subpoenaed unpublished interview materials from a newspaper (The Bakersfield Californian) that had conducted a jailhouse interview of a witness. Judge Rodriguez denied the defendant’s motion to quash the subpoena and ordered the paper to hand over the reporter’s notes and questions. She ruled that the defense had made the required showing that the materials could materially assist in the defendant’s case (a decision that drew attention in press freedom circles).

She has also presided over many other felony trials and hearings. In general, local news reporting indicates that Judge Rodriguez conducts her courtroom firmly and fairly. For example, in a recent murder trial she denied a demurrer and kept first-degree murder charges intact, proceeding to trial. (That case went to jury verdict under another judge after her preliminary rulings.) Overall, her courtroom record shows her enforcing criminal law vigorously, with no publicized reversals or disciplinary issues.

Reputation, Temperament, and Ethics

Judge Rodriguez is widely viewed as diligent and even-tempered. Colleagues and community members describe her as humble and hardworking – often staying late in the evening to clear her calendar and preferring to put in the hours during the week so as not to work on weekends. She is praised for a passion for fairness and for bringing a calm, patient demeanor to the bench.

There are no reports of ethical violations, misconduct, or disciplinary complaints against her. She has served with a clean professional record. In the community, she is also known for her service outside the courtroom: she volunteers at legal aid clinics and has participated in pro bono expungement workshops. In 2025 her alma mater (CSUB) honored her as an Alumni Hall of Fame inductee for her contributions to law and public service.

As a Latina and a bilingual Spanish speaker, Judge Rodriguez is one of the most visible Hispanic judges in Kern County. Her background (growing up in a working-class family) and her language skills have been noted positively in local media, reflecting her commitment to serving the diverse population of Kern County with empathy and understanding.